On Thursday, the Cincinnati Bearcats beat Wichita State 70-61 and for the first time this season Ody Oguama started which moved forward Jeremiah Davenport to the bench for the first time of the Wes Miller era. Davenport started the previous 15 games. He started all 32 games in 2021.
In the his first game off the bench this season he had a season high 22 points, the previous season high was 19 points, shooting 8-of-12 from the field, 6-of-9 from three and three rebounds. While he came off the bench he played starter minutes logging 30. Moving the Cincinnati native to the bench solves a few things, gives the Bearcats scoring off the bench, with the current injuries the main rotation off the bench have been Dan Skillings, Josh Reed and Ody Oguama. Now, with Davenport coming off the bench you have a scorer who if he is hot can provide a good punch. Another problem is solves is it allows the Bearcats to be better defensively with their starting five with Oguama.
Before scoring his season high on Thursday, his numbers were doing from his junior year from the field, points and rebounds. If Davenport stays as the sixth man will be best for the squad because it allows him the freedom to shoot, but if he’s off or taking bad shots, Miller can sit him down, he’s done a better job at playing a more complete game, but it’s been a few games that he’s forced some tough shots early in the shot clock now that he’s coming off the bench if they can get an efficient Davenport on a nightly basis the Bearcats get that much more dangerous.
I know he won’t score 22 points every night, but if he’s shooting good shots and staying dangerous that is a plus for the boys from Clifton.
